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While Apple computers were quite popular in schools during the 1990s, many districts switched to Windows as the years went by. This meant that many current consumers grew up familiar with Microsoft products rather than Apple. However, the emergence of popular devices like the original iPod and the iPhone meant that the tech giants had to work together in some way. This allows anyone with a Windows XP computer to connect a device made by Apple and use it properly for years to come. You can have the best of both worlds when it comes to personal electronics by mixing and matching thanks to the power of appropriate drivers.

What Kind of Apple Devices Will Work?

If you are really a fan of Apple products but want to keep your Windows XP system for now, you can utilize a wide range of accessories. All of the most popular hand held devices feature some kind of cross-platform support. The Apple support system offers numerous ways to locate the right drivers, keep them updated, and find new ones. No matter your level of comfort with modifying your computer system and its essential files, you can quickly get your iPhone communicating clearly with your computer.

Age Matters

When it comes to syncing products from Apple with Windows XP computers, the age of the device plays a big part in determining how you can do it. For example, older classic or nano versions of the iPod may not be running the current iOS program. This means they can’t work with the automated programs that sync appropriate drivers based on the connected device. However, you can still manually installed even the oldest Apple devices by retrieving the correct driver files from their database.

Manual Apple Device Driver Installation On A Windows XP Computer

This process varies for newer products, but will work well on a Windows XP system with original iPods. Have iTunes installed first and log in to your account to ensure the process runs smoothly.

First, attach the iPod via the USB cable and see if your ITunes account will detect the device.

If this fails, visit the Apple Support website and search for the Troubleshooting Assistant for your specific iPod version. This program will scan for missing drivers and other similar problems.

Check if Windows is recognizing the device even if iTunes isn’t. Open the My Computer folder from your Desktop to see if it appears as a connected storage device among your CD-ROM drive and hard drive.

Open the Device Manager through the Control Panel and System icon to discover if it is appearing there as well. If Windows XP recognizes the iPod, you may need to reinstall iTunes completely after uninstalling it.

The oldest iPod models may require you to download and install the Apple Mobile Device USB Driver. You can find it through the Support website. This should remedy the problem if your computer isn’t properly recognizing the connected device at all.

Automatic Updates Are Easier

All computer users can utilize Apple’s built in support for driver and software updates, even if they aren’t comfortable with manual driver installation. This program is known as the Apple Software Update. If you have installed iTunes, Quicktime, or Safari you should have a functioning copy on your computer. You may have blocked it from running or accidentally uninstalled it, so a fresh install of iTunes is usually the easiest and fastest way to restore it. There is also a freestanding installer available through the Support site. Running this program will allow your computer to check for drivers when you connect a new iPhone or iPad. It will also let you know if the software itself needs updates, or if an older device has bugfixes available. You can run the updater manually at any time by selecting it from the Start Menu.

No Windows XP Support For iCloud

iCloud is one of Apple’s latest consumer ventures, but it’s not available for Windows XP users. This cloud-based service allows you to access files on Windows computers from an iPad or iPhone, and vice-versa. However, only Vista and up are supported. You can still transfer files through a USB connection or over the Internet, but not over iCloud.

Avoiding iTunes

There is a way to remove the driver files from the iTunes installation file and manually install them, but this takes registry editing and is best left to advanced users. For the average computer owner, iTunes is the easiest way to get the drivers properly installed and updated throughout the lifespan of the device. If you are comfortable with the process, you can try:

Downloading the iTunes Setup file offered by Apple Support for Windows XP.

Rather than opening the file with a double-click, try opening it with the program known as WinRAR. This will allow you to see the files within the executable. Copying out “AppleMobileDeviceSupport.msi” and “QuickTimes.msi”will provide you with the specific driver files needed for installation.

Following this process will allow your computer to detect the device properly and display it in your My Computer folder. However, this may not allow you to actually access the storage for removing and adding content. You may still need a secondary program, from the manufactuer or a third party, to access your library and edit it.

Backup Your Collection

Using iTunes is also recommended because it allows you to create a backup of your entire music collection. If something happens to your iPod or your Windows XP computer, you won’t have to deal with the long process of purchasing new copies of every song you wanted to hear. Many people keep their favorite material on their iPhone as a backup for their home computer, but this will only work if the content syncs on a regular basis. Keep your Apple devices working with PCs by updating your drivers and software as soon as new releases come out.

It’s a sad but true fact of life that your printer, scanner, or other computer device is most likely to stop working right at the moment you need it the most. Scrambling to discover why your connected peripherals are no longer recognized by Windows XP can increase your stress when you are already under a heavy workload. To keep your homework assignments or work presentations running smoothly, learn the right ways to troubleshoot issues that cause the computer to report a device not working.

Check For Simple Issues

Always start by double checking that a very simple problem isn’t the culprit. For example, try disconnecting and reconnecting any cables between the device and your computer. Many times a USB plug or printer cable is simply loose and unable to properly communicate between the two pieces of equipment. You may even need a new cable if there is physical damage to the exterior. Try connecting the device to another computer to discover if it is the printer or your operating system. If your scanner or camera simply won’t power up at all, it is unlikely that the problem lies with the drivers or software.

Dealing With Common Problems

Once you are sure that the device itself is still functioning properly, you can proceed to discovering the disconnect between the computer system and the peripheral. In many cases, a simple driver issue is the cause. The files are easy to lose, move, accidentally delete, corrupt, or overwrite. Uninstalling something unfamiliar in your computer’s “Add or Remove Programs” window could lead to speakers that no longer emit sound or a flickering black and white monitor. There are a few basic steps to take to find out if you are experiencing Windows XP driver problems.

Start With The Device Manager

As with nearly any task involving Windows XP drivers, your work will begin with the Device Manager. Accessories that worked well at some point in the past may or may not show up in this window. If the device driver was not successfully installed in the first place, you should definitely see warning signs. Open this tool by:

Click on the Start menu button at the lower right corner of the screen, then click once on Control Panel.

Double-click on System, then click just once on the Hardware tab. You should now see the Device Manager button, which also needs a click.

The Device Manager window will display all of the devices currently connected to your computer. If they are installed, an accurate listing should be found under the correct categorization. Devices with detected driver issues will display a bright yellow icon with an exclamation point in the center. Look for the device that is not responding and double click on it.

If there was an issue detected, the window that appears may have a button labeled “Reinstall Driver” near the bottom. Clicking it will open the Hardware Wizard, which connects you to Windows Update for automatic driver updates.

Replacing Missing Or Corrupted Drivers

Checking the database provided by Microsoft for Windows XP may very well solve your problem. Manual installation is also possible. It may be the better option if you have visited the manufacturer’s website and they offered an updated file to deal with issues with previous driver versions. In other cases, you may need to rollback a driver to a previous version if the newest updates introduces issues.

Manual Device Driver Updates

When you are ready to install the latest and greatest update to the drivers, start with the process listed above. Open the Device Manager through the Systems window, then double-click on the device in question and hit “Reinstall Drivers”. Then:

Click on “No, not this time” when the Hardware Update Wizard requests a connection to Windows Update.

Choose the “Install from a list or specific location” option on the next page. Click next.

Use the first option and the subsequent file location browser to point the wizard to the files you have downloaded. Uncheck the “Search removable media” option unless you have the files loaded on a CD or DVD.

Hit Next and let the wizard handle the installation process for you.

Rolling Back Drivers And Restoring Your Settings

It is immensely frustrating when your printer or external hard drive was working just fine yesterday, but it won’t respond today. If you just updated or reinstalled the drivers when the problem occurred, try rolling back to a previous version:

Open the Device Manager with the above instructions. Find the driver you are experiencing issues with and double-click on it.

Select the Driver tab and click on the “Rollback Driver” button. This will allow the computer to search out the previously installed file and use it once again.

Sometimes the older driver files are simply too corrupted or were accidentally deleted, making them impossible to reinstall. You can also try restoring your system to a previous point if you had Windows XP System Restore Points enabled when the device was working. To give this a shot, try:

Start the process in the Administrator profile for the system. Open the Start menu, then navigate through the Accessories menu to find the listing entitled System Tools. Click on this, then click on System Restore.

Selecting the “Restore my computer to an earlier time” option will allow you to bring back deleted system files and restore registry settings that might be interfering with the device.

Choose a save point from a time when you know the device was working properly. Run through the rest of the menus and allow your system to restart.

Check to see if it functions properly again on the newly booted system. If not, use the on-screen prompts to reverse the restore point.

It’s unusual that a device will need a full uninstallation and fresh installation to start running again. In most cases, you can use the steps above to solve driver or registry problems in just a few minutes. Be sure to solve any virus infestations or hard drive errors that might be leading to corruption and damage of your driver files.

We all know that sound quality is a very crucial to every PC user. It doesn’t matter if you’re a hardcore music enthusiast, gamer or just a regular user. Great sound makes a whole lot of difference in the PC experience.

There are a lot of sound drivers available in the market. But one of the most widely used ones is Realtek audio drivers because it is believed by a lot of PC users to give the best sound quality as compared to others.

Proud Beginnings

Realtek takes pride in being one of the leading names in Windows XP drivers. The company, Realtek, has been delivering high quality products and services since its establishment. In Oct 1995, the company became the first IC design house in Taiwan to achieve ISO-9001 certification.

Realtek is committed to developing innovative products and services that exceed customers’ expectations. To date, Realtek is top of mind when it comes to sound hardware technology. The ease of use and accessibility of Realtek drivers has made it a popular Windows driver choice among users and industry players alike.

Product Development

These audio drivers are produced by a team that has extensive systems knowledge and integration expertise. Realtek ensures that its audio drivers are produced with quality and reliability in mind. They allot time and budget for research and product development so they can come up with products that are more powerful and seamless.

Realtek is also keen on developing new line of products that will seamlessly integrate key components such as micro controllers, DSP, RISC, PLL, RFIC, and embedded memories. Users can expect better quality sound hardware they can use for their PCs.

This means users will get to experience a system-on-a-chip driver that is more efficient than ever before. Realtek audio drivers feature more powerful and advanced core technologies such as analogue and mixed signal design; circuit design and process expertise; and system knowledge and IP.

Commitment to Quality

These audio drivers are also included in more than 900 worldwide patents of the company, a clear sign of the brand’s continuing commitment to technological innovations and breakthroughs. Realtek is also in the process of enhancing its application capabilities to integrate audio, video, and communication system technology into system-on-a-chip solutions.

Product quality is not the only great thing about Realtek audio drivers. It also offers customer support for hardware and software, development tools and technical services. They won’t have to worry. If their sound hardware will bog down at the middle of the night, there is a customer support ready to assist them right away.

To check if your sound card is working properly, you can download our Driver Scan Tool and it will search your PC for all the hardware installed, including their audio driver. By using this driver scan tool, they can make sure that their audio driver is working well or is updated, without any hassle.

Individual drivers may be available and manually installed via manufacturer websites at no charge. We recommend our driver update service that will scan your computer for the most current and compatible drivers and provide them in an easy, convenient method. Registration for the full version is only $29.99 USD for 1 full year of driver updates with the option of a second year for just $9.99 USD.

All third party products, brands, or trademarks used herein are for identification purposes only and are the sole property of their respective owner. No affiliation or endorsement is intended or implied. When using a company's driver you will bound to that company's own legal agreement.

We recommend our installer which is a driver system utility for scanning, matching, downloading, and installing verified drivers. Registration for the full version of the installer is only $29.99 USD for 1 full year of driver updates. with the option of a second year for just $9.99 USD. Many drivers may be obtained directly by visiting the websites of the respective manufacturers.